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I Married a Communist Audiobook
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(3.01) - 2,421 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of American Pastoral delivers the astonishing story of the rise and fall of an American man whose life is destroyed in the McCarthy witchhunt of the 1950s.
I Married a Communist is the story of Ira Ringold, a big American roughneck who begins life as a teenage ditch-digger in 1930s Newark, becomes a big-time 1940s radio star, and is destroyed, as both a performer and a man, in the McCarthy witchhunt.
In his heyday as a star—and as a zealous, bullying supporter of “progressive” political causes—Ira marries Hollywood’s beloved silent-film star, Eve Frame. Their glamorous honeymoon in her Manhattan townhouse is short-lived, however, and it is the publication of Eve’s scandalous bestselling exposé that identifies him as “an American taking his orders from Moscow."
In this story of cruelty, betrayal, and revenge spilling over into the public arena from their origins in Ira’s turbulent personal life, Philip Roth—who Commonweal calls the “master chronicler of the American twentieth century”—has written a brilliant fictional portrayal of that treacherous postwar epoch when the anti-Communist fever not only infected national politics but traumatized the intimate, innermost lives of friends and families, husbands and wives, parents and children.
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"Another awesome meditation on America, identity, men & women. The nesting of narration within narration as a reflection and reflector of the way in which the personal and historical intertwine is delicious. As (nearly) always, the story is page turning, characters rich and complex, themes provocative."
— Ross (5 out of 5 stars)
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“A masterly, often unnerving, blend of tenderness, harshness, insight, and wit.”
— New York Times Book Review
I Married a Communist Listener Reviews
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" This is perhaps my favourite novel. I love the theme, the characters, and the last two pages are some of the most beautiful I've yet read. "
— Cormac, 1/4/2014 -
" Roth's subjects and philosophies are always compelling, but sometimes reading him again is like reading him for the first time, and I have to get used to his style all over again. "
— Richard, 1/2/2014 -
" 1st class Roth, plus the added relevancy of the Red Scare/media censorship. "
— Allison, 12/24/2013 -
" The books that make up his "American Trilogy" seem to have a way of sticking with you. I imagine this one will be no different. Not the easiest read but worth it. "
— Joseph, 12/19/2013 -
" His straight-ahead prose hides insight and style in plain sight. The revelations about Ira at the end complete the jigsaw, rather than tip it on the floor. "
— Richard, 12/14/2013 -
" See my review of American Pastoral. "
— cheeseblab, 11/24/2013 -
" Extremely solid work. Dragged on a bit at points, but other than that, a great read. Murray reminds me of myself. "
— JT, 11/7/2013 -
" Philip Roth is an excellent writer. The way he tells a story and the subject matter he choses is what draws me to his novels. "
— Hillary, 8/31/2013 -
" Read this on the flight over. Classic Roth. "
— Aaron, 6/26/2013 -
" Masterful, in the extreme. "
— Sophia, 4/14/2013 -
" I think this one of his best, although it took me a while before I surrendered to the monologue/interview structure of the book. "
— Tenhertine, 2/8/2013 -
" This McCarthy era tale should have been a short story or at most a novella. It is entertaining enough in its own way, but there is litte literary value here. "
— James, 6/10/2012 -
" Rarely, Roth falls flat. With I Married a Communist he trips on a curb and breaks his nose. As with his Sabbath's Theater, I didn't bother finishing it. "
— Gerry, 5/20/2012 -
" Very good, can't remember details, but was a good, solid story. "
— Joshua, 12/18/2011 -
" It took me forever to slog through this book, but I am glad I read it! "
— Clo, 11/3/2011 -
" Not quite as good as the others (Human Stain and American Pastoral) in the "trilogy". "
— Mark, 8/29/2011 -
" A rollicking good read, part of his immense American Zuckerman trilogy in the Nineties. Roth is always a pleasure but those books are my favorite. I think with Roth, whichever title you read first ends up your favorite. "
— Andru, 4/22/2011 -
" In short, Roth's version of a coming-of-age story, in which we see the twilight of the idols of our youth. "
— Newton, 3/16/2011 -
" About as good as it gets. A great story told but a brilliant voice. "
— Mark, 3/10/2011 -
" Read this on the flight over. Classic Roth. "
— Aaron, 2/26/2011 -
" Of course I Married a Communist is beautifully written and as stout a novel as you would expect from Philip Roth, it's just not very interesting. There's little humour, it's so serious it's almost earnest. "
— Nicky, 12/31/2010 -
" My favorite author; my least favorite novel of his. "
— Lisa, 12/12/2010 -
" It was ok, but not nearly as good as "The human stain". The last chapters are the best, it drags a bit before then. "
— Maria, 10/4/2010
About Philip Roth
Philip Roth (1933–2018) was one of the most decorated writers in American history, having won the Pulitzer Prize in fiction, the National Book Critics Circle Award twice, the PEN/Faulkner Award three times, the National Book Award, and many more. He also won the Ambassador Book Award of the English-Speaking Union and in the same year received the National Medal of Arts at the White House. In 2001 he received the highest award of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Gold Medal in Fiction, given every six years “for the entire work of the recipient.”
About Malcolm Hillgartner
Malcolm Hillgartner is an accomplished actor, writer, and musician. Named an AudioFile Best Voice of 2013 and the recipient of several Earphones Awards, he has narrated over 250 audiobooks.